The 2020 Olympics are ending with plenty of medals up for grabs across the games, and Penn State wrestlers added two more to the collection early Saturday morning. Following David Taylor’s gold medal victory this week, two more former Nittany Lions are taking home hardware from Tokyo after Saturday’s results.
Kyle Snyder, who won the gold medal at the Rio games in 2016, was unable to go back-to-back for the gold medal this time around. Snyder finished with the silver medal in the 97 kg weight class, coming up short against Russia’s Sadulaev Abdulrashid. It is Snyder’s second career silver medal in international competition (2018 world championships).
Kyle Snyder drops tough 6-3 dec. in 97 kg final…
Kyle Snyder brings home the Olympic Silver Medal for Team USA and the @NittanyLionWC #PSUwr pic.twitter.com/92dVbzwcU7— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) August 7, 2021
Snyder wasn’t alone in winning Olympic medals on Saturday. Bekzod Abdurakhmonov was also in action, representing Uzbekistan. Abdurakhmonov won the bronze medal in the 74 kg weight class, bringing Penn State wrestling’s total medal count to four during the 2020 Olympics.
Another medal for the @NittanyLionWC
Congratulations Bekzod!#PSUwr
(click for full graphic) pic.twitter.com/eJdHR0VGcb— Penn State WRESTLING (@pennstateWREST) August 6, 2021
Thomas Gilman won the bronze medal in the 57 kg weight class this week as well.
All in all, this was a very successful trip to the Olympics for Penn State wrestlers. Four Olympic medals, including one gold, is a testament to the power of the Penn State wrestling program, which remains one of the best in the sport. Expect more medalists in the future to hail from Happy Valley.
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